Packaging method and means



Oct. 28, 1952 R. J. HlCKlN PACKAGING METHOD AND MEANS I 7 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 15, 1951 Zmventor ammeg OE 28,1952 R. J. HlCKlN PACKAGING METHOD AND MEANS 7 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 15, 1951 (Ittomeg R. J. HICKIN PACKAGING METHOD AND MEANS Oct. 28, 1952 Filed Jan. 15, 1951 Q Q Q (Ittorneg Oct. 28, 1952 R. J. HlCKlN PACKAGING METHOD AND MEANS 7- Spee ts Sheet 4 Filed Jan. 15, 1951 bipiiebiudh-i.

DOIIDQDQI i 3nventor (Ittomeg Oct. 28, 1952 R. J. AICKIN PACKAGING METHOD AND MEANS "7 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Jan. 15, 1951 (Ittorneg Oct. 28, 1952 R. J. HICKIN PACKAGING METHOD AND MEANS 7 Sheets-Sheet 6 Filed Jan. 15, 1951 (Ittomeg R. J. HICKIN PACKAGING METHOD AND MEANS Oct. 28, 1952 7 Sheets-Sheet 7 Filed Jan. 15, 1951 (Ittomeg Patented Oct. 28, 1952 PACKAGING METHOD AND MEANS Robert J. Hickin, Rittrnan, Ohio, assignor to The Ohio Boxboard Company, Rittman, Ohio, at corf poration of Ohio Application January 15, 1951, Serial No. 206,095}. i

16 Claims.

In the packaging of various commodities in salable multiples of individual containers such as bottles, cans and the like, in cartons, boxes, cases and crates, it is customary to provide between the rows of containers separator or partition strips, I,

usually in crisscross, interengaged arrangement, providing individual cells for the several containers, to thereby guard against breakage, defacement of labels and other possible damage, and also to enhance the strength, compactness and sales appeal of the packaging.

This practice is particularly advantageous in the formation of the so-called six-bottle packages of beverages which have lately been resorted to for the sale of such bottled beverages in easilytransportable multiples.

Ordinarily, in forming a package of a multiple of containers such as bottles or cans, with the cell-forming separator or partition strips, the carton, box, case or crate is set up to relatively finished form, the pre-assembled cellular arrange-, ment of separator or partition strips isinserted in the said carton or the like, and thereafter the containers, either singly or in appropriate multiples, are deposited in the individual cells. This mode of procedure requires a number of separate operations upon, and handling of, the several elements ultimately making up the package, and usually some of these operations are manually performed.

The object of the present invention is to reduce.

to a minimum the manually performed opera tions now required in this general type of packaging procedure, thus to attain increased packaging speed and simplify and reduce the cost of the packaging operation.

In accordance with the invention, and taking the six-bottle packaging of bottled beverages,

such as beer, as an example, the filled and capped bottles coming from the bottling machine will be packaged in appropriate cartons with interposed cell-forming separator or partition strips, and the cartons sealed in salable, transportable condition, Wholly automatically; the onlyv manual operations required being those necessary to the maintenance of adequate supplies of separator or partition strips to the mechanisms'which feed and assemble them, and of carton blanks to the mechanisms which feed them to the packaging line.

To these ends, the invention comprises a method and means for packaging articles, especially bottles, whereby the same may be gathered in selected, predetermined multiples (say of six bottles) withseparator or partition strips in cell-forming arrangement between them, and the assemblies of bottlesand'separator or-partition strips held between, them encl'osed, as units, in.

appropriate cartons formed from blanks which are folded about them and sealed into finished carton form, such operations being performed automatically, all as will beexplained hereinafter more fully and finally claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, which disclose somewhat diagrammatically, or schematically,

means forautcmatically carrying out the method of the invention, and in the several views of whioh'like parts are similarly designated,

Figs. la, 1b, 10, when arranged serially end to end depict, in side elevation, one form'of apparatus suitable for performing the packaging operations in accordance-with the invention,

Fig. 2 isa fragmentaryplan view of portions of two of fthebelt conveyors shown in Figssla and 1b,, I

Fig. is a sectional elevation taken on .line 33 of Fig-in alid showing parts of the mechanism for completing the assembly of; separator or partition strips with the selected groups or multiples of bottles, I r

Fig. 4. is an enlarged fragmentary sectional elevation of parts of the partition strip assem bling mechanism shown in Fig. 3,

Figs. 5 and 6 are further enlarged fragmentary detail views illustrating the operation of the shuttle bar flap member of the strip assembling machine,

Fig. 7 is a perspective View of a set of separator or partition strips in position prior to their interengagernent in completed assembly, v

Fig. 8 is a plan view, upon a greatly reduced scale, of a folding carton blankisuitable for use in the practice of the invention, and

Fig. 9 is a View similar to'Fig. 8, but showing the end wall members folded over to prepare the blank for feeding to the apparatus of the inven tion.

Figs. 19a and 101) when taken together represent, schematically, suitable mechanism for progressively feeding, folding, gluing, erecting. and glue-sealing the carton "blanks; the means for delivering, feeding and assembling the bottles, and for associating themwith the cartons being omittedin the interest of simplicity of disclosure.

In the embodiment of the apparatus shown, it will be seen (Figs. la,' lb) that as the filled and capped bottles leave the bottling machine (not shown) they are picked up in pairs, laterally (Fig. 2) upon a belt I travelling continuously in the direction of the arrows a upon a rigid tion. and at the same speed as the 'belt I and this latter belt t carries a plurality of laterally arranged pairs of clips equally spaced in conformity with the spaces between bottles upon the belt 1. Adjacentto one end of the belt 4, where it passes around its carrying and driving pulley 6 is a feed mechanism forthe tranverse separator or partition strips if (Fig.7) having a feed table 8 in which reciprocates a pusher plate 9 serving to progressively and successively feed the lowermost strips 7 from the bottom of the stack thereof into the nip of a pair of rapidly rotated feed rolls i9 by which they are projected into successive pairs of clips'5 as the latter reach the registering position shown in Fig. 1a. It will be noted, however, that the feed table Bis provided Witha lifter member i I actuated by a cam i2 so, driven by gearing. i3i'4 and chain and sprocket mechanism i5 from the shaft of the pulley 6 of the belt 2 as to be properly timed, to raise the stack of partition or separator strips '1! out of'position for engagement by the feeding pusher: plate 9 at thetime of register of every third .pair of clips 5 into position to receive a strip. Thus, as shown in Fig. 1a, every third pair. of clips 5 will lack a partition strip, and when the partition strips carried by the belt 4 travel in the direction of the arrow b above the bottles, and are stripped from the clips by a slanting stripper. finger 15, they willdrop into the spaces between pairs of bottles directly below them and will thus automatically define multiples of six bottles the two outer pairs of which are to be separated from the respective inner pairs by the pairs of partition strips 7.

As the belt i carrying the bottles with deposited partition strips resting between their necks (Fig. 1d) moves along the platform 2, it passes over a raised idler roller i'i which causes the belt'to take an upward buckle thus presenting a ridge over which the bottles travel and by which they will be tilted, as shown, to permit the partition strips to drop down between them into contact with the belt.

Having reference to Figs. 1b and 2, it will be seen that the bottles, with the partition strips 7 between them, pass from the belt i onto a belt I8 which is given a greater linear speed than that of the first belt i thus to gain spacing, and hence time of travel, of the bottles so that they may be appropriately fed, at right angles to the belt I8, in groups or multiples'of six, over the bed 49 of. partition assembling mechanism 0 (Figs. 1b, 3 and 4) which is similar in major features of design and function to that disclosed in applicants copending application for patent for Partition Assembling Machine, filed'July 22, 1947, Ser. No. 762,616, now Patent No. 2,594,924, dated April 29, 1952.

This mechanism comprises essentially a feed table 20 and hopper 2 i for. the longitudinal separator or partition strips 22 (Fig. '7) a feeder plate reciprocatedby link and lever mechanism 23 and mating feed rolls 24 (only one of which is shown) mounted on shafts 2A1 and which serve] to successively feed the partition strips in interleaved relation into a feedpathdefin'ed by a fixed guide plate 25 and a spring-actuated guide, sheet 26 by which the strips are guided in a continuous, interleaved-sheet (so to speak) into a feed throat 21' (Figs. Sand 4) where the bottom edge of the leading strip, and hence the interleaved series of strips, is arrested by stop pins 26 the ends of which are normally held in throat-intercepting position (Fig. 4) by springs 29. Beneath the throat 2?, and having their nip in alignment therewith, is a pair of feed rollers 39, 3|, one of which, 39, is constantly driven clockwise by belt and pulley mechanism 32, 33 from a motor 34. The other feed roller 3| is an idler and pressure applying roller and is mounted in spring-pressed sliding bearing blocks 35 connected by adjustable links 26 with lever arms 31 on a rock shaft 38 1 19, as will be explained later.

to which oscillation is imparted by a rock lever 39 actuated b means such as a solenoid magnet 49 energized and deenergized in timed relation to the travel of multiples of bottles over the bed Also, the stop fingers 28 are given similarly timed actuation by the connection of their operating levers M with links 42 connected with lever arms 43 on the rock shaft 38. The links 42 carry a transverse shuttle bar M (Figs. 4, 5 and 6) operative in timing feed of partition strips from the throat 2'3, and having a hinged downwardly-extending flap member 45 the purpose of which will be explained hereinafter.

The multitudes of bottles are advanced over the bed l9 by automatically depressible, normally offstanding, pusher plates 46, which may be spring erected as indicated at 41, Fig. 4, carried by laterally spaced conveyor chains 48 the upper passes of which run flush with the top surface of the bed I 9 in channels 39. These conveyor chains are carried by spaced pairs of sprockets 50, 5! and are driven by chain and sprocket gearing 52 through a speed-reduction gearing 53 from a motor 54.

As the groups or multiples of bottles are moved along the top of the bed [9 by the pusher plates as, in relative spaced relation, they will suecessively reach a position where the spaces between their two series of three bottles, and hence the medial slots of their respective partition strips 1, will lie directly beneath the throat 21. At this time due to actuation of tripmechanism (not shown, but which may be of the type disclosed in the hereinbefore referred to copending application, now Patent No. 2,594,924, or of the type disclosed in the patent of Wilske et al., No.

2,429,907, dated October 14, 1947) carried by the chains t8, the feed mechanism at the throat, including the stop fingers 28, the shuttle bar 44 andthe feed rollers 39, 3!, will function to feed a longitudinal partition strip 22 from the throat into mating relation with the two transverse fiap ld, which due to the nature of its pivot cannot move to the right, Fig. 4, will engage the necks of the bottles comprising the leading set of three bottles of the group and tilt these bottles away from the other set of three bottles to thus clear the way for entrance of the partition strip 22 between the two sets of bottles.

In order that alignment of the longitudinal partition strips 22 may be such when fed that their slots will properly register with the transverse partition strips 7, automatic registering mechanism 55, Fig. 3, is provided, the same being of a nature similar to that disclosed in the co pending application hereinbefore referred to.

It will be noted by reference to Figs. 3 and 4 that although the feed mechanism of the partition assembler c is operated continuously, the

spacing of the groups or multiples of bottles is such as to make possible employment of intermittently operating means for the subsequent steps of the packaging operation, as will now be described; but such intermittently operated feed is not essential, as modifications might be made in the mechanism whereby continuous feed could be employed.

Referring now'to Figs. i, 5, 6 and 10, it will be seen that as the groups or multiples of bottles move from beneath the throat 21, with the assembly of partition strips completed, the necks and caps of the trailing set of three bottles of the group will cause the flap member 45 to swing upwardly-upon its pivot and clear their path of movement (Figs. 5 and 6), and further progress will cause the bottles to be moved onto a reciprocable platform 56 between the edge of which and the adjacent end of the bed 19 of the mechanism the pusher plates 46 will descend (Fig. 3). Y

Vertically aligned with the platform Fat, and carried by sprockets '5, 58 on shafts 52, 66, either one of which may be driven by an intermittent motion imparting means (not shown) is a pair of chains 51, provided with a spaced series of bottle grasping and suspending members each including a fixed transverse plate 62 attached to the chains bl and hingedly carrying at its edges similar plates 63 (Fig. 3). Each of the plates 62, 63 is provided with a fixed jaw Ed and a pivoted jaw 65, the latter being spring pressed toward the former, as shown, for grasping engagement with the necks of the three pairs of bottles of a group. Each of the pivoted jaws 65 is furnished with a trip extension 68 for a purpose later appearing. The outer edges of the hinged plates 63 have hinged to them pressure plates 61 hereinafter referred to.

It will be understood that the intermittent progress of the chains 6| will be so timed that a set of the plates 62, 63 with their grasping jaws 64, 65 will be momentarily stationed above the platform 56 in alignment with the necks of the bottles moved onto the platform. Hence, as the bottles are shifted to the platform their necks will slide in between the jaws, the pivoted jaws 65 yielding sufficiently to accommodate them but firmly grasping them.

Immediately after the bottles are thus positioned, the cam mechanism 88 which is pref- 6 feeding path portion 16 and adischarge path portion H. 'This conveyor is flanked by plows l2 and by sealing plates or wipers 72a of conventional form (Fig. 101)) Flat, partially folded, carton blanks are fed transversely of and upon the feeding portion 19 of the conveyor in appropriately spaced relation conforming to the spacing of the groups of bottles carried by the plates 62, 63. This spacing is determined by lugs or the like on the conveyor. The carton blanks may preferably be of the form shown in Figs. 8 and 9, in which the side wall members 13, Fig. .8, and end wall members M, 15 are joined to the bottom member 16 by gusset-like members Tl which, with the blanks partially folded, as shown in Fig. 9, and thus fed to the conveyor, will, when the side wall members are folded upwardly, cause the end wall members to spread outwardly with their edges, overlapping to provide a glue joint all as will now be more particularly described. This form of carton is disclosed in and covered by the" application'of Joseph A. McElwe'e for patent for Handled Carton, filed April 11, 1951, Serial No. 220,417.

Having reference to the schematic showing of Figs. 10a and 101), read together, it will be seen that the carton blanks are successively fed from a hopper 86 by a conventional, oscillating suction feeder 8''! to a pair of conveyor chains 88 provided with carton blank engaging lugs 89 and flanked by guides 90. As the blanks move forward with the conveyor chains 88 under the influence of the lugs 39 they are engaged by conventional plows 9! (only partially shown) which serve to fold the end wall members 14, M and 15, 15 with their aligned gusset-like members 11 fiat against the side wall members 13 and bottom member '16. As the thus folded blanks progress with the chains 88 they will pass beneath an adhesive or glue applying mechanism including a glue font 92, glue feed rollers 93 and glue applying rollers 94 so laterally spaced and having such segmental carton blank contacting surfaces 95 as to apply the adhesive only to the adjacent edges of the end wall members M and [5 flanking one of the side wall members 13 of the blank, as indicated by the stippling at 96. After the adhesive has thus been applied the folded blanks are discharged by the chains 88 upon a dead erably timed in its operation to the travel of the chains 68 by chain and sprocket gearing 69, will lower the platform 56 thus leaving the bottles suspended in the grasping jaws 64, 65, and the chains 6! will be advanced through one step of their intermittent movement to bring another set of plates 62, 63 with their grasping jaws M, 65 into register over the platform '56, the latter meanwhile having again been raised to its position in horizontal alignment with the bed IQ of the partition assembling mechanism.

As the several sets of plates 62, 63 are thus loaded with bottles suspended from their grasping jaws 64, 85, it will be apparent that, due to the hinged connection between the plates, the outer rows or sets of these bottles will tend to pivot inwardly toward the center row of bottles thus frictionally gripping the, transverse partition strips and serving to maintain the partition strip assembly in proper assembled relation with the group or multiple of bottles.

In vertical alignment with and below the groups of bottles conveyed by the chain mechanism BI, is a belt or chain conveyor having a.

plate 91.

Travelling transversely of this dead plate 9! is the conveyor 10, and paralleling it is a'pair of aligning feeder conveyors 533 all substantially at right angles to the chains 88. It will be noted that the conveyors $8 are provided with feed lugs 99 which engage the trailing edges of the folded carton blanks and properly position the blanks transversely of and at right angles to the conveyor 16 and that this conveyor HI is provided with lugs N39 for carrying the blanks along to the erecting plows 12.

As the blanks approach the plows 12 their folded end wall members M and T5 with the intermediate gusset-like members H will. rise, or may be erected, to position substantially normal to the side wall members 13, as shown at the left of Fig. 101), thus presenting the blanks for more ready assembly or erection about the groups of bottles suspended above them.

When the thus erected cartons, with the end wall members M, 15 overlapping their complements to which adhesive has been applied, emerge from the plows 12 they will be acted upon by the sealing plates or wipers 12a. These sealing plates or wipers are carried by links H pivinto" contact with the overlapping glued end wall, members 14 l5-ofthe cartons andgwill hold thempressed against the pressure plates 67 until such time. as, thexglue has been given an opportunity to properly set, whereafter the end of the cam track ID? will be reached and. the plates 12awill be released with the erection of the cartons completed; r

Obviously, the conveyor chains 88, 93, i0. and I 04 will be synchronously driven, and driven in synchronism. also with the feed of groups of bottles by the chains 6|, in order that the successively fed. and erected carton blanks may be associated properly with the successively fed groups of bottles.

Thus, as the carton blanks travelwith the conveyor 19, H their side wall members 13 will be engaged by the plows T2- and folded upwardly to embrace the broad sides of the groups of bottles above. them, the end wall members 14, 15- meanwhile automatically spreading outwardly to embrace the narrow sides of the said groups. It will be apparent, as indicatedin'Figs. 1c, a10b, that a progressive setting upof the cartons to embrace the groups ofbottl'es takes placeas the blanks travel upon the feeding portion 10 of the conveyor, and that when they reach its discharge'portion H they will have been completely assembled about the groups of bottles; j

As the thus-far packaged" groups of bottles leave-the portion H of the conveyor, they travel with the chains 6'! onto a reciprocable platform 78- similar in major respects to the platform 55. and similarly reciprocated, and as this transfer is effected the trip extensions 66 of the several" pivoted grasping; jaws 65 will strike against trip lugs 19 on the normally spring-projected cores:

ofi solenoid magnets 89, thus causingthe'jaws .65 tomoverfree of. thebottle necks. When this occurs the platform 1:8:is immediately lowered to a position'aligned horizontally with the transfer conveyor means ti which serves to move the package unit onto a conveyor 82; by which it is transferred -to mechanism for closing and interengaging'the'variousend'iiap members 83, 81 i and-85of the carton.

Obviously, when the platform 18 descends to a point where the grasping jaws-64,65 are free of the bottle necks,.the solenoid magnets '80rwill be automatically energized. to retract the trip lugslil: so that the jaws 65"may'retur'n; under the influence of their springs, to normal bottle-grasping position, and as the plates 62; 63' make their next progressive movement the magnets will be deenergized so that thetrip-lugs may again be projected by their springs, as will be apparent from the showing of suitable switch means s and electrical circuits (Fig. 10-).

Various changes and modifications are consider-edto'bewithin the spirit and principle of the invention; and the scope ofthe following claims. Y

8'? What I claim is: v l. The method of packaging two-ended articles in containers, with separator members interposed between the articles, which comprises the steps of supporting said articles upon one of their ends and while they are thus supported allocating the articles in groups of predetermined multiples, arranging between the articles of such groups While still thus supported separator members'serving toprevent contactof theindividual articles. of the groups with one an.-- other,.and thereafter supporting the articles: by

their opposite endsv with the separator members between them and enclosing the individual groups of articles and'their associated separator members while thus lastsupported in individual.

containers presented to them toward their first:- mentioned ends.

2. The method of packaging two-ended articles in containers, with separator members interposed between the articles, which comprises the steps of supporting the articles upon one of their ends and while they are thus supported allocating the articles in groups of predetermined multiples, arranging separator members between the articles of the groups While such articles are;

still thus supportedv to prevent the individualarticles of a group from contacting one another, thereafter supporting the articles of the groups by their other ends and maintaining the assem-. bly of said separator members with such articles by frictional contact therewith of the articles,v andv while the assembly is thus maintained and,

supported enclosing the individual groups of articles and their associated assemblies of separator members in individual containers prersented to them toward their first-mentioned.

ends.

3. The method of packaging two-ended articles in containers, with'separator strip means interposed between the articles, which comprises the steps of supporting the articles upon one of,

their ends and while they are thus supported allocating the articles in groups of predetermined.- multiples by arranging between predetermined articles of a plurality thereof separator strip means extending in a predetermined direction with respect to the articles, thereafter andwhile the articles are still thus supported. arranging transversely of the already positioned separator strip means other separator strip means in interengagement therewith, and thereafter supporting said articles in groups by their opposite. ends with the assemblies of separator strips intact in the groups and enclosing the individual groups of articles and their associated strip. means in individual containers presented to them toward their first-mentioned ends.

4. The method of packaging two-ended articles in containers, with separator strip means interposed between-the articles, which comprises the steps of supporting-said articles upon one of their ends and while they are thus supported allocating the articles in groups of predetermined multiples by arranging between predetermined articles of a plurality thereof separator strip means extending in a. predetermined direction with respect to the articles, while the articles are still thus supported. arranging transversely of the already positioned separator strip means other separator strip means in interengagement therewith to provide a cellular assembly of said strip means and articles, suspending said articles by their opposite ends and maintaining such cellular group. assembly. by frictional engagement, be,-

porting said articles upon one of their ends, ,means for allocating the articles in groups of predetermined multiples while thus supported, means for arranging separator members between the articles of the groups while thus supported so that the individual articles thereof will not contact one another, means for supporting said articles by their opposite ends, and means operable while the articles are thus last supported for enclosing the individual groups of articles with their assemblies of separator members in containers presented to them toward their firstmentioned ends.

6. In apparatus for packaging two-ended articles in containers, with separator members interposed between the articles, means for supporting said articles upon one of their ends, means for allocating the articles in groups of predetermined multiples while thus supported, means for arranging separator members in interengagement transversely and longitudinally of and'between the articles of the groups while thus supported so that the individual articles thereof will not contact one another, means for suspend ing said articles in groups by their opposite ends, and means for thereafter enclosing the groups of articles with their assemblies of separator members in containers, said means for suspending the articles including means for insuring frictional engagement between the articles of individual groups and the interposed separator members of such groups so that the groups of articles and their separator members may be suspended as two bottles each, means for conveying in elongated series bottles arranged in ranks of pairs, means for depositing transversely between the bottles of three consecutive pairs transverse separator strip means serving to divide the series of conveyed bottles into groups of six, means for depositing transversely of the already deposited transverse separator strip means longitudinal separator strip means for interengagement with the transverse separator strip means to provide a cellular strip assembly associated with the bottles of each group and functioning to prevent contact between the individual bottles of the group, means for holding the bottles of each group suspended with the cellular strip assembly in functional association therewith, and means for enclosing the several groups and their strip assemblies in cartons while thus suspended.

8. In apparatus for producing six-bottle pack ages of bottled goods comprising three rows of two bottles each, means for conveying in elongated series bottles arranged in ranks of pairs, a conveyor travelling at the same linear speed as the bottles and arranged above the tops of the bottles and provided with clip means in spaced arrangement longitudinally of said conveyor substantially equal to the spacing of the pairs of bottles, means for feeding to all but every third clip means transverse separator strip means, means operable to separate said strip means from said clip means as the said strips travel above said bottles to thereby deposit strip means transversely between the bottles of every three consecutive pairs thereof to divide the series of bottles into a plurality of groups of six, means for depositing transversely of the already deposited transverse strip means longitudinal separator strip means for interengagement with thetransverse strip means to provide a cellularstrip assembly associated with each of thegroups of bottles and functioning to prevent contact between'the individual bottles of the group, means for holding the bottles of each group suspended with the cellular strip assembly in functional association therewith, and means for enclosing the several groups and their associated strip assemblies in cartons while thus suspended.

9. In apparatus for producing six-bottlepackages of bottled goods comprising three rows of two bottles each, means for conveying in elongated series bottles arranged in ranks of pairs, a conveyor travelling at the same linear speed as the bottles and arranged above the tops of the bottles and provided with clip means in spaced arrangement longitudinally of said conveyor substantially equal to the spacing of the pairs of bottles, means for feeding to 'all'but every third clip means transverse separator strip means, means operable to separate said strip means from said clip means as the said strips travel above said bottles to thereby deposit strip means transversely between the necks of the bottles of every three consecutive pairs thereof to divide the series of bottles into a plurality of groups of six, means for jogging the pairs of bottles to permit the strip means to drop between them into contact with their sides, means for depositing transversely of the already deposited transverse strip means longitudinal separator strip means for interengagement with the transverse strip means to provide cellular strip assemblies with the several groups of bottles and serving to prevent contact between individual bottles of a group, means for holding the bottles of each group suspended with the cellular strip assembly in functional association therewith, and means for enclosing the several groups and their associated cellular strip assemblies in cartons while thus suspended.

10. In apparatus for producing six-bottle packages of bottled goods comprising three rows of two bottles each, means for conveying in elongated series bottles arranged in ranks of pairs, means for depositing transversely between the bottles of three consecutive pairs transverse separator strip means serving to divide the series of conveyed bottles into groups of six, means for depositing transversely of the already deposited transverse separator strip means longitudinal separator strip means for engagement with the transverse separator strip means to provide a cellular strip assembly associated with the bottles of each group and functioning to prevent contact between individual bottles of the group, means including a travelling conveyor provided with bottle-neck grasping means for holding the bottles of each group suspended with the cellular strip assembly in functional association therewith, and means including carton blank conveying and folding means disposed beneath the suspended groups of bottles and travelling synchronously therewith for enclosing the several groups and their strip assemblies in cartons while thus suspended.

11. In apparatus for producing six-bottle packages of bottled goods comprising three rows of two bottles each; means for conveying in elongated series bottles ,arranged-in ranks of pairs, .means for. depositing transverselybetween the 7 bottles of three consecutive pairs transverse separator strip means serving'to dividethe series of conveyed; bottles into groups of six, means for depositing transversely of the already deposited transverse separator strip .7 means longitudinal separator strip means for engagement with the transverse separator. strip means .to. provide a r cellular strip assembly associated with the bottles ofeach group and functioning to prevent contact '.between individual bottles of the group,'means including a travelling conveyor provided with bottleneck grasping means for holding the boti tles ,of each group. suspendedwith the cellular .v strip assembly. in functional association there- .With, means including carton blankv conveying and folding means disposed beneath the suspendedgroups of bottles andtravelling synchro- J nously, therewith for enclosing the several groups and theirstrip assemblies in cartons while thus .suspended, and means for releasing said grasp- .ing means from the bottlenecks after such en- .,c1osing operation.

(12.,The method of packaging bottles in con- -,.t,ainers, with separator means interposed between .the bottles, which comprises the steps of allo- Hcating the bottles ,in groups of predetermined .:multiples, arranging between selected bottles of .said. groups separator means of strip form extending in a predetermined direction with relavtion.,to. the. said selected bottles, and relatively :separating said selected bottles by vertically tiltingthe same-.to thus permit said separator means .v toiassumea predetermined appropriate position i :between said selected bottles.

.13. The method ,of packagingbottles in conltainers, with separator means interposed between i the. bottles, which comprises the steps of allocating the bottles in groups of predetermined multiples,,arranging between selected bottles of said groups separator means of strip form extending .in, a predetermined, direction with relation to the selected bottles, relatively separating said selected bottles by vertically tilting the same to thus permit said separator means to assume a predeterr mined-appropriate position between said selected bottles,ndepositing between the bottles of the group separator means of strip form complemen- .-tal to the separator means already positioned and in. arrangement transversely thereof, and relativelyv separating thebottles by vertically tilting the same in a direction substantially normal to .iltheiprevious tilting to permit said last deposited separator .means to interengage with those alsreadypositioned to thereby provide a separator structure of cell form for said bottles.

14. ,In apparatus for packaging articles in con- 60 arranging between'selected "articles of the groups separatormeansof strip form extending in a predetermined direction with relation to the selected articles, means for causing separation of said selected articles to permit said separator means 'to" assume a predetermined appropriate position betweensaid selected articles, means for depositing between the articles of .the group separator means of" strip form complemental to the separator means already-positioned and in arrangement transversely thereof, and means-for causing relative separation of the articles to permit said last deposited-separator meanstointerengage withthose, already positioned to thereby provide aseparator cell structure forsaid articles.

'15; Inapparatus for packaging ,bottlesin con- .tainers, with separator means interposed be- ;tween the bottles, means for allocating-therbottles in groups of predetermined multiples,'.means for arranging between selected bottlesvof the groups separator means of strip form extending in a predetermined direction with-relation .to the selected bottles, .andmeans for causing relative .lected bottles, means for causing relative separation of said selected bottles by ver-tically'tilting the same to thus permit said separator means to assume a predetermined appropriate position between said selected bottles, means for depositing between the bottles of the group separator means of strip form complemental to the v separator means already deposited and positioned and in an arrangement transversely thereof, and means'for causing relative separation of the bottles by vertically tilting the same in a direction substantially normal, to, the previous tilting to permit said last deposited separator means to interengage withthose already positioned to there- 'by provide a separator structure of cell form for said bottles.

ROBERT J. HICKIN.

"REFERENCES CITED The-following references are of record-in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1;592;767 House July 13, 1926 2,013,555 Deeren Sept. 3, 1935 2,527,252 Gorman Oct. 24, 1950 

